Gary and I had dinner and did a little window shopping for our actual anniversary, but we decided (Gary’s idea) to go to Busch Gardens Europe to celebrate instead of exchanging anniversary gifts. We had a blast! We spent the whole day there on Saturday from 10:00am til closing time at 10:00pm. Aside from the heat, it was a perfect trip.

We stayed at the Mariott’s Manor Club at Ford’s Colony. I would definitely go back and highly recommend it based on our last stay. It was too hot and we were too tired to chill at the pool, but the area was very pretty and check in and check out was seamless.

So anyway, here we are before we headed off to Busch Gardens at the hotel before the heat got to us:

I didn’t take videos of all the rides and thing there, but here is a video short of our trip (note: I didn’t spend much time on it):

and check out this video, I actually wanted to take a video on a roller coaster but you aren’t supposed to and I didn’t have enough memory card – but this is cool, someone took a video – front row on the Griffon ride:

Thanks to all of you who wished us anniversary wishes, and sent us cards!

Check out the highlights from Wendy and Pete’s Maternity Session below!
If you would like to book a perSonaL lifeStyLe maternity session, send an e-mail to style@sue-leigh.com

May take a few seconds to load depending on your internet speed.
Turn up the sound and enjoy!

Today I had a fabulous maternity shoot -Wendy and Pete are expecting twins! Big sister Lia was a little shy but was very cute in and out of her bouts of shyness.

Big Sister Lia and Mommy, what an adorable smile!

what an angel:

I love Wendy’s eyes in this shot:

Wendy is so StyLish! Her outfit against the caramel wall is so delicious 🙂

I Love this shot:

Loving Hands:

Soon there will be two more sets of “10 little piggies” that went wee wee wee all the way home!

and Wendy’s mom got these cute little stuffed animals for the twins:

On Sunday, Adrienne and I met up with someone I know, Scott from Getty Images, and then later we met up with one of Adrienne’s friend Rose – who came over and we went window shopping.

Monday, Adrienne and I went to the Lincoln Park Zoo. I liked seeing the animals but was saddened and disappointed in the extremely small areas for the animals. The big cats were in over sized cages, and most of the animals areas were the same – ivy and cedar like trees or areas with sand and a few shrubs. And it was really crowded and humid that day.

We saw the animals we wanted to see and then left, chilled out, and then I left for Raleigh.

I love seeing the big cats:

a red kangaroo:

giraffes

a zebra looking sad:

there was also a barnyard of animals, and cows! If you know, me you know one day I want a baby cow, and I think the cows could feel the connection and this one was posing for me!

I have some video with some funny clips from the zoo as well as the rest of the trip I’ll have to work on sometime, so stay tuned 🙂

Today we made it to Millennium Park and Navy Pier.

We saw the big ‘ole silver bean,

and got our “souvenir” shot of our reflection in it, :

this was a shot of the inside of the bean, which kind of looks like a flower to me:

at the Navy Pier, we went for a ride on the 150 foot high ferris wheel and saw a great view of the city from up there, checked out some of the shops, etc. There was a fun house that we didn’t pay to do, but there were some fun house mirrors at the entrance way:

there was also the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows that we visited. These were my fave:

these angels were also really pretty to me:

and of course I got a shot of a cute cow 🙂

There were several options for city tours, some by boat, some by double decker busses, but the one that I was interested in was two hours and $30/ticket. But there are several stops you get off at, at one you get a free t-shirt, a free Hershey bar, and something else. Maybe next time when we have 2 hours and were up for stopping at the tour stops.

We got a bit of a late-ish start today, but when we made it out the door, we went to Alexander’s for brunch, and then we went to Rosehill Cemetary. I took some video which I will have to mess around with later when I get back home and have my video software with me. But for now, here are a few of my faves from the day:

there were two of these on a patio in front of a mausoleum:

I love this statue, the mother and child are so beautiful and serene with an ivory complexion:

haha, Adrienne is foonie 🙂

Then Adrienne’s bf John met up with us and we went to get coffee, got the bus, and wandered around some shops on N. Broadway. Got dinner at the Chicago Diner, went to see Baby Mama at a theater, and then ended up at Hamilton’s for a late night snack and drinks before heading back.

I blog. I get ready. I go bed.
night night, til later . . . .

I made it to Chicago, and both of my Flights got in a little early, the one into St Louis and the one into Chicago:

My friend Adrienne picked me up and we went back to her place – her boyfriend met us there and then we all went to a middle eastern restaurant for dinner which wasn’t bad.

We have plans to do some shooting tomorrow which I’m looking forward to . . . more later.

I’m all packed and ready for my trip!

Yesterday was such an odd kind of day . . . things that don’t normally happen happened, though I wasn’t upset, it was just odd, and luckily it didn’t last too long. Starting with going to the ER with Gary, I slept til 1pm. Ran some errands, and later the battery in my car alarm key chain died and so i couldn’t get in my car without the alarm going off since I opened the door with my key. So the car wouldn’t start and that was exciting . . . then my luggage was in storage, and we almost forgot the password, luckily we figured it out, the code was swapped around. I spent most of the day running errands, cleaning, and packing, but since Gary was feeling well enough, I didn’t have to cancel my trip!

So my flight leaves later today, but I will be twittering and possibly blogging while I’m in Chicago, so you can see what I’m up to. Right now I’m trying to finish up some things before I go.

Check back later! 🙂

It’s around 4 something am and Gary just started on bag 2 of 3 of the 1000mL of Sodium Chloride bags.

We had a normal day, didn’t eat anything out of the ordinary . . . The throwing up and other ailments started at 8:00pm and continued on. Later he tried the Gatoraid I went out and got him and then Sprite. It seemed like he was better, but 30 minutes later back to throwing up and he couldn’t even keep water down.

So we went to the emergency room around 2:00am since he was obviously dehydrated and unable to keep anything down and here I am blogging about it since I have nothing to do but wait.

They gave Gary some anti-nausea medication through the IV which seems to be working for now . . .

Earlier there was some woman that overdosed with 7 Xanex and 8 beers – definitely Not a good combination.

I took a photo of the saline drip bags which I’ll add to this blog post later, so that’s all for now . . . There is no comfortable way to sit in these chairs . . .I’m so tired

** update May 21st around 1pm (just woke up)
We got out of the ER around 7:30 am and slept. Looks like Gary got some kind of virus or something and we went to the ER for dehydration . . . they gave him another anti-nausea medication while we were there and he had a total of 4 of the Sodium Chloride bags. I’m off to run errands, fill his prescription and get Jello, etc. Gary is ok now.

I will also add that the people over at Wake Med were extremely efficient and very nice, and they have a cool helicopter that plugs in 🙂

Gary and I went with my parents went to the Southern Ideal home show in April. We usually don’t sign up for things, events, quotes, etc., but every once in a while we will sign up for something particularly interesting. Gary filled out the slip to be one of many in hopes of getting a baseball signed by Nolan Ryan, evidently known for being a great baseball pitcher. According to Wikipedia ‘The media tagged him, or more specifically his pitching, as “The Ryan Express”‘

Pretty neat 🙂